Wallkill vigil honors victims, residents of Newtown, Conn. tragedy

Tuesday

Dec 18, 2012 at 2:00 AM

BY MICHAEL RANDALL

HAMLET OF WALLKILL — About 75 people gathered under light rain Monday night around the Peace Tree at the Wallkill Public Library, holding candles and standing in solidarity with the people of Newtown, Conn.

George and Annemarie Mercier were there with their children, Ethan, 11, and Ryan, 9.

They said they have friends in Newtown whose children go to a different school than Sandy Hook Elementary, but who nevertheless were deeply affected by Friday's shootings.

"It's a terrible, terrible thing," Mike Mercier said. "I've never come to one of these before. But this is a little close to home."

Mary Lou Carolan, director of the library, said Monday's vigil was born out of a desire to do something to support the victims and other people of Newtown.

"We all felt pretty helpless, but we did not want to feel hopeless, too," Carolan said.

After a moment of silence and the singing of "Silent Night" and "Amazing Grace," representatives of three faiths spoke.

The Rev. Toni Macon, pastor of the Wallkill Reformed Church, said healing will begin "by all of us looking at each other face to face."

The Rev. Joseph Fallon, pastor of the Church of the Most Precious Blood in Walden, who also offers services at the church's mission chapel, St. Benedict's in Wallkill, said, "Words fall short and fail to console us" in such circumstances, but they are all we have to express ourselves.

And Nava Herzog, cantor at the Wallkill Jewish Center, noted that parents constantly assure kids there is no "monster under the bed." But in this case, "the monster came" anyway.

"We need to turn to God for help," she said.

A string of 26 illuminated angels — made by library children's programming assistant Christine Adams from plastic drink containers, foam balls and wire — was strung around the Peace Tree. The angels bore the names of the Newtown victims. Children present were invited to add peace sign ornaments to the tree.

"Let There Be Peace on Earth" and another chorus of "Silent Night" concluded the vigil.